This invention relates to improvements in means and methods for laying conduit, cable and like articles, particularly in a trench.
The means and method of the invention not only lend facility in the laying procedure, insure proper positioning of underground utilities and ease the maintenance thereof but also aid in the conditioning of a trench and its shaping. A further benefit is a more precise positioning of the article laid with respect to the level at which it is required to be disposed and that the article, as it is laid, is essentially set with respect to the material which provides its base and/or cover.
Speed, ease and economy are inherent in use of the invention concepts and in such respects they contribute a significant advance in the art.
As far as those substantively involved in the preparation of the present disclosure, the prior art apparatus most pertinent comprises the following:
______________________________________ Wasson 259,248 White 332,126 Thacker 3,849,998 Courson et al 4,028,902 Russian Patent 246,402 ______________________________________
The prior art apparatus does not appear to comprehend in their construction or use, in any respect, such a positive control and positioning of articles laid as enabled by the present invention. Nor do they evidence such firmness of seating of the articles laid, as desired in the placement of underground utilities. By virtue of the improvements of the present invention not only is the feed of the article being laid simplified but its environment and positioning is made more certain.
An additional problem evidenced in use of prior art apparatus and/or manual procedures in laying conduit, cable and like articles in a trench is that they overlook the problems created in forming the trench and they fail to take into consideration that the base of a trench must be conditioned as articles are laid therein, in order to avoid a physical environment for the articles laid and the fill material applied which will undesirably affect, eventually, the position of the laid articles and the stability of the fill materials in the trench. This problem is also solved by the use of apparatus constituting embodiments of the present invention.
It is very important to note from the following that the very nature of the apparatus embodiments of the invention not only expedites the laying procedure but minimizes the labor attendant the same, while making the operation thereof more certain and precise.